robinsm

So we agree that the greens with their proposed ban on flights over Melbourne are concentrating on the important things, Fantastic, now to get the unimportant things fixed like getting people into work, fighting drugs and stopping the general slide of society and the global moral meltdown. Oh, the economy may be thrown in there somewhere as well. Seriously, I think concentrating on inane minor things like this proposal are doing everyone a disservice. If you get people in work, they make money, spend it, dont get into as much trouble and buy aeroplanes. When that happens, maybe the noise level over the coffee shops of Melbourne may be considered as important, BUT NOT BEFORE. I have worked in an industry that is in a major growth phase because of unemployment, drugs and illegal groupings. Tell the family that are doing it tough in the suburbs, have very little income and are living hand to mouth and see what their opinion of a late drinking, righteous, self serving greenie is and how they react to the proposed noise ban. I think food on the table and education and footwear for the kids is much more important and that is what the greens, and others should be working for. People dont matter anymore, its about who can get their name in the paper, high incomes and beggar the rest. I think a large section of the community need a reality check. The cave door is now definitely (maybe) closed.....

OK so 3 volcanoes blow their top, seaweed rots and cows pass wind. How do you control that. Global warming has been shown to be a cyclic thing with only minor input from us short term residents. I am sure the stopping of noise over central Melbourne with help the Greens realise the ceasation of global warming, save the whales and stop windgenerators. Unfortunately the greens started with great ideals and now has become an unbrella for rent a mob and idealistic academics with very little real life experience. Talk to the farmers, talk to the people on the land, they know what is needed. Not some bunch of overpaid, navel gazing academics and arty wannabes. (present company excepted of course). Sorry, pushed my buttons, end of rant. Back to my cave.

A chopper is born is a great documentary on the building of the helicopter. Recommended

Seems to be a case of either "me too" or empty cans rattling to gain attention because no one is taking any notice of them.

Good on you Marty, good to see you have an even balance on things. Unfortunately the greens have gone so far from their original roots that they could be called the Party for anyrthing negative...lol

The greens dont care, when they can muster a brain between them then they may actually have a sensible thought, untill then lets all hug trees, complain that everyone else is at fault and suck our thumbs. Still, someone actually voted for these brainless idiots. Good luck with the results of your choice.....

Have been trying to get info on ELAAA, on their list but no one has bothered to reply. Thank goodness someone fixed the redirection on their site.

ALWAYS...ALWAYS use a check list, complacency is a killer. I dont care if your memory is encyclopaedic, use a printed check list.!!! (forgot to use it myself one day and didnt check fuel tap on...no 4 on my list..It always is but on this day I had turned it off to change the fuel filter and forgot to turn it on. Thank goodness the fuel ran out at the end of a long taxi and not during takeoff...learnt my lesson, ) ALWAYS use a checklist...!!!

To far from Goulburn as well

I am surprised some enterprising individual has not told the owner that a large tractor will take care of any fences he illegally puts up and the threat of a court case about restricting, and denying, access...as required in the deed of sale made.? Very bizarre politics indeed and the operator is making it very hard to get enthusiastic about the sport when the restrictions are there.

multifocals, never a problem with flying and map reading...

Nic, the excuse using globalisation is a cop out. The regulators, no matter which brand is in power, are looking after the large end of town not the people on the street. Australia was a country that had less than 5% unemployment all the time. People found work and did a great job. They were paid a fair days pay for a fair days work. Yes, the union were allowed to get away with a lot but that is being rolled back now and common sense is starting to surface. To compare a wage rate of $6 per hour is plainly ridiculous. The cost of living in this country makes the higher hourly rate essential. We see that 2 income houses are now commonplace and in some cases these are needed to afford housing etc. It is large companies wanting bigger profits, cheaper product and bigger bonuses taht drives the manufacturing overseas to poorer countries with high subsidies from Govts to manufacturers. If you are prepared to let your lifestyle disappear down the gurgler because the managing director wants a bigger car and bug..er the worker then thats fine. There is nothing wrong with profits, that is what makes the world go around but its how that profit is obtained that is the problem.

Sorry Nic, just because some overseas country funds the hell out of their industries and keeps their workers on the poverty line does not mean that we should do the same. Bex is correct with his figures. If the level playing feild was actually level, and the govt was serious about keeping industry in this country and no appeasing the pockets of shareholders at the expense of tghe australian people then maybe we could survive. Globalisation is a very good excuse for maximising profits at the expense of people. Unfortunately people dont seem to matter any more, its all about profits etc.

No, I bought a new 3 blade composite Australian made in Queensland (brolga) but the manufacturer was bought out by Bolly. I believe there is nothing wrong with the wooden ones, I just have never owned one (but a mate had one on his single seater pup for a while.

The only disadvantage I found with wooden props is the bad habit wood props have or turning into paddlepop sticks when flying through rain squalls. Composite props dont have that problem, but if wet weather flying aint going to happen then the new wooden one could be interesting.

Instead of carrying on for or against, how about waiting for all of the official announements and the realease of the proper material before calling out the revolutionaries. Geez, I wouild like to see all of the paperwork and realeases and and then give an INFORMED opinion, not a knee jerk reaction. I thought we were a grown up group of intelligent aviators, not a "lets assume and make comments without the facts" group.

Don, I for one, agree with the staged inspections. When I built my aircraft I had the L2 inspect it at my cost to make sure everything was ok... Silly if you dont. This was not the thrust of my post.

It seems to me that RAA Aus is rapidly turning into a bloated semi CASA style organisation that will surely make all of the reasons it was started (freedom to allow the average person access to affordable flight, simplification of rules to allow people to build and operate their own aircraft, at their own risk with basic safety controls) a thing of the past. I can see it being over regulated and aimed at the money end of the market with a CASA mentallity and a big brother bent. Maybe akin to another overregulated GA style enterprise. Another case of shortsightedness removing a lot of personal freedoms and trying to remove personal responsibility from the equation. Sorry ALDO but I think you have missed the point about why the organisation was started in the first place.

If you have built your own minimax, you aint second class dude, you rock...great little aircraft.

Stop playing semantics, you said to include you in the previous post from PMcCarthy, so by inferrence you agreed and endorsed his comment.

Maybe if the criticism is aimed in the correct manner and an appreciation taken of the hard work, sweat and tears given by the owner of the site is taken into account then the result may have been better, but what is seen as a a dismissive attack on him then the reply you got, I feel, is appropriate in the circumstances. If you dont like it, pack up your bat and ball and depart. Your choice.

Do you carry on like this when ford or holden release a new model? Time for a little adult behaviour people.

100% Neil, This site is about all flyers, not just the few precious ones who think they have the only opinion worth following. Dont let the negative, self seeking, comments of the .0002% of proclaimed self important members (hopefully ex members) of this site detract from this wonderful resource. supported by the other 99.0098%. May you go from strength to strength. This site is a valuable resource that enhances the safety and knowledge of all of us, more so than the "big brother site" that seems to stagger from poor to abysmal.Where else can many of the basic recreational flyers go for advice and a chat if not to this site. Nil carborundum Ian, (dont let the Bas..ds grind you down).

I have built the raspberry Pi one, connected to Ozrunways and works a treat. Dont knock it or the purchasers until you have tried it or made a better one.

It appears that apathy is still alive and well in the organisation. If you voted then complain all you like but if you didn't vote then accept it because you abrogated your right to do so by your apathy.